Carcass-dehairing machine



May 18 1926. 1,585,553 L.. A. KRAMER CARCASS DEHAI-RING MACHINE Filed June 1, 1925 4 Sheets-'Sheet 1 L. A. KRAMER CARCASS DEHAIRING MACHINE Filed June 1, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 18,1926. 1,585,553

L.. A. KRAMER cAncAss DEHAIRING MACHINE Filed Jne l, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 jve?? 0% Lauf; L/Qanfe Y May is 1926.

lll LU ll IIIHII m mi .7 m

May 18,1925. 1,585,553

L. A. KRAMER CARCASS DEHAIRING MACHINE Filed June 1, 19,25

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 18, 1926.

UNITED STATES LOUIS A. KRAMER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CARCASS-DEHAIRING MACHINE.

Application filed .Tune 1, 1925.

My invention rela-tes to machines for dehaii-ing, cleaning and massaging' carcasses; namely, the general class of machines commonly employed for cleaning freshly killed hogs after they have been taken out of the scalding tank. In some of its general objects, my invention aims to provide a de- .hairing machine of this general class which will have a high operating capacity in proportion to its size, which will be equally well adapted for thoroughly cleaning and dehairing carcasses of widely varying sizes, which will avoid an entangling of the legs or other parts of the hog with any part of t-he machine in a` manner adapted to produce a cutting of the skin, and which will require comparatively few and easily replaced parts in proportion to its operative capacity. It also provides a novel method for advancing carcasses successively past a plurality of dehairing mechanisms. Furthermore, my present invention provides a machine for this purpose in which the carass is continuously supported by rotating members during the dehairing operation and in which the disposition of these members cooperates with the distribution of weight in the carcass for automatically feeding the carcass through the machine without requiring any auxiliary mechanism.

More particularly, my invention provides a machine of this class in which the carcass is supported entirely by rotating members while passing through the field of the dehairing operation, in which these rotating members all tend to rotate thel hog in the same direction about its longitudinal axis; in which the rotating members include collars disposed for peripherally engaging` the carcass, and also include beating and scraping elements disposed for engaging the carcass and for moving along the surfaces of the carcass at a higher 'ate of speed than the carcass-engaging peripheral portions of the said collars, and in which t-he collars and the beating and scraping elements are relatively so disposed as to prevent the legs of the carcass fro-m being entangled in or cut by any part of the machine. My invent-ion also aims to provide a machine of this class in which certain of the scraper elements are disposed for engaging the carcass with an effectiveness dependent on the weight of the engaged carcass portion, in which this difference in effectiveness will automatically cause the longitudinal Serial No. 34,272.

axis of the hog to be disposed at an angle to the axis about which the beating elements revolve, and in which the resulting angular disposition will t-hereafter cause these scrape ing elements to eXeru an obliquely forward pulling effect on the carcass so as to cause the carcass to move a substantially spiral 'motion through the machine.

My invention also provides a conveyor for feeding the carcasses endwise into the ma` chine in such a manner that the head end of the carcass will be engaged by dehairing elements before the tail end leaves the conveyer, thereby facilitating the said angular disposition of the carcass.

My invention also provides a machine of this general type in which such an automatic feeding of the carcass through the machine can be produced while employing rotating elements all secured'to horizontal and parallel axes, in which an exceedingly simple driving mechanism can be employed for rotating the parallel shafts by which the said elements are carried, and in which the carcass cannot udge between any of the parts of the machine which support it. Furthermore, my invention provides ay machine which can readily be constructed with varying arrangements of the rotating parts and with the number of beating' and scraping elements increased according tothe desired extent ofthe scraping, beating and massaging effect. Still further and also more detailed objects will appear from the following specification and from the accompanyin drawings, in which Fig. l is a vertical transverse section through a machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken along the line 2 2 of Fig. l. s

Fig 3 is a fragmentary vertical section through the same machine taken longitudinally of the machine along the line 3u-53 of F 2.

Fig. fl is a view taken from the left hand of Fig. 2 to show the driving connections between the shafts of the machine.

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section similar to Fig. l, but showing another arrangement of the rotating members, namely one employing a. medial lower shaft carig-'ing collars only and also employing a medial upper shaft disposed above the carcass.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitduinal tion through the machine along the line 6--5 of Fig. 7.

shafts and are of such a diameter 4peripherres of the coll ars rental section through the line -7 of ier` talten along the bot-tom view of the portions of the machine shown in Fig. 11. y.

15 is a bottom view of the portions of the machine shown in Fie'. 12.

Fig. 16 is a bottom view of a hog passing through the machine, showing a few of the scraping elements as `they appear when initially engaging the hog, the inclination of the hog to the axis of the rotating shafts being exaggerated in this view.

Fig. 1T is a bottom view similar to Fig. 1G, showing the position of the same parts when the same scrapers are releasing their grip on the hog.

Fig 18 is an end view of the same. hoe, showing the positions of a roller on the adjacent shaft and of the scraper-s which have a lateral and upward pulling movement on the hoff.

Fig. 19 is an end elevation ofone of the collars on theshaft 3 of Fig. 1, showing the flirting of the periphery of this collar.

In the embodiment ofFigs. 1 to 4 inclusive, my machine includes five parallel shafts which carry the elements employed forv rotating and dehairing the hog and for feeding it through the field of the dehairing operation. These shafts, numbered from 1 to 5 inclusive', have their ares disposed as longitudinal elements of a trough like surface and each of these `shafts has fastenedv to it a plurality of collars 11, which collars are spaced along the shaft and here shown as of uniform diameter. The collars on the several shafts are desirably in alin'ment transversely of the that the on adjacent shafts are relatively close to each other, thereby permitting the hog to bear simultaneously against the collars on any two adjacent shafts without having its weight press a liabby portion of the hog` materially into the space between these collars.

VFastened also to each of the shafts 1 to 5 inclusive are beater n'iembers, each of which consists of a collar 12 fastened to the inner ends of Vplurality of flexible beaters 13, each beater carrying a bent claw or scraper lil at its free end. The length of the flexible heater portions 13 is such that these normally extend beyond the collars 11 carried by the same shaft, and also desiral'aly such that the Scrapers 'lll will reach between the collars on an adjacent shaft. 'lov afford this reach while maintaining a relatively close spacing of the shafts, l desirably stagger the beaters on adjacent shafts longitudinally of the machine, so that each ofthe said beater numbers is opposite a portion on the next shaft which does not have beater members there, this being shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclus' All ofv the shafts 1 to 5 are continuously rotated in one direction during the operation ofthe machine, for which purpose l am showing an elevated drive shaft G driven from a pulley 10 and carrying a sprocket 7 which is operatively connected by a chain 8, to sprockets 15 fastened respectively to' the shafts 1 to 5 inclusive, an adequate en gagement of the chain with 'the driven sprockets 15 being secured by idler sproclets 9 interposed betwen the consecutive sprockets 15 as shown in Fig.

l also provide suitable means for 'feeding hogs endwise into the machine from one end of the heretofore described operatingy mechanism so as to project the hog into the trough-like arrangement ot rotatirfr meinbers carried by the shafts 1 to 5 inclusive. For this purpose l am showing the shaft 5 as carrying a worm 16 meshing with a worm wheel 17 on a shaft 18 which extends transversely of the machine, which transverse shaft actuates a belt conveyor 19 provided with riser strips 2() for engaging the hog while conveying the latter to the dehairing mechanism. rl`his conveyor desirably slopes upwardly towards the machine and has its discharge end disposed considerably above the lower collars 11 of the machine, so that the hog will dip downward into enga-gement with parts of the dehair" ing mechanism when it is being fed into the. machine.

The spread of the said trough-like arrangement of the rotating members carried by the shafts 1 to 5 inclusive is etieetivel;y greater than the diameter of the l rgest hog which is to be. dehaired, thereby nermittir the longitudinal axis of even a large hon` to be swung at an angle to the artes .of the parallel shaft-s 1 to 5. lVhen the hog is disposed within the said through-like arrangement of mechanism, as shown in dotted lines at 21 in Fig. 1, the collars 11 on the three lower shafts 2, 3 and 4 are disposed for supporting the hog. Since these shafts all rotate in a direction which is clockwis in Fig. 1, the collars combine in rotating the hog in al countercloclwise direction, the rotating effect being substantially uniform in speed for these collars, and this effect is positive owing to the pressure exerted by the weight of the hog.

The flexible beaters 13 and the scraper-s 1l on the shafts 1 to 5 will likewise tend to llt) rotate the hog inthe same direction, but. the portions of these beater members which engage the hog are at much greater dis` tance from the axes of the corresponding shafts than the uniform radius of the collars, hence these beaters and scrapers will drag somewhat` along the surface portions of the hog` with a scraping and dehairing action. rlhe beater members on the shafts 1 and 2 will also tend `to force the hog toward the right in Fig. l and hence will tend to roll it upwards on the collars carried by the shaft 3. The Scrapers on the beater mechanism carried by the shaft 4 will likewise tend to raise the hog and to pull it up on the collars carried by the same shaft.

Consequently, the hog, while continuouslyl rotated infone andthe same direction, will. intermittently rise out of contact with the collars on the lower shaft and then drop baclrsomewhat by gravity,.tl1ereby shifting its position and making the beater mechanisms more effective in reaching all portions of the hog.

However, the said pulling and lifting action of the Scrapers carried bythe shaft fl will not be the same at longitudinally spaced portions of the hog, owing to the uneven distribution of weight in this animal, Vthe forward end being considera-bly heavier than the rear end. vlSince each of the scrapers carried by the shaft t initiallyv engages the hog substantially at the lowest point-of the latter which is opposite that scraper transversely of the machine, the force with which the weight of the hog presses against the scraper and causes a flexing of the beatler 13 to which that scraper is fastened will Vvary with the weight of the engaged portion of the hog. Consequently, there is a less effective pulling on the rear portions of the hog than on the more forward portions, it being easier for the less effectively pressed scrapers opposite the rear portion of the hog to slip on the surface of the latter. For this reason, the forward end of the hog will be drawn upward and towards the right in Fig. 1, while gravity will permit the rear end of the hog to remain more approximately opposite the middle of the trough-like mechanism, thereby causing the longitudinal axis 22 of the hog to be disposed at an acute angle to any line parallel to the axis of the aforesaid shafts,

such as the line 23 in Fig. 16.

With the hog thus disposed, each scraper 14.- first engages the hog adjacent to its then lowermost portion, as shown in Figs. 16 and 18 (Fig. 16 being a bottom view) and then exerts an action which tends to pull the hog up on the adjacent rollers 11 carried by the same shaft and which also tends to lift the hog. In thus moving from the position of the beater 13 in Fig. 18 to that shown in dotted lines for the same beater after the shaft 4 has rotated sufficiently to allo1 the scraper on that beater to slip off the hog, the pulling action is not at right angles to the aXis of the hog (or along the line 2-' of Fig. 16) but is oblique to that axis as shown inthe line 25.Vv Consequently, this combined pulling and rot-ating action of the scraper also draws the hog forward to a corresponding extent, thereby advancing it for the distance marked 26 in Fig. 17. By the` time the previously active scraper le'. releases its grip on the hog, the next scraper carried by the saine beater collar 2 grips the then lowest portion of the hog opposite it and continues the advancing action. I-Ience the hog is automatically fed head foremost through the machine by the dehairing mechanism itself with a spirally advancing' movement, without requiring conveyors, inclined bars, push arms or other mechanism for feeding it through the field of the dehairing operation. Moreover, by feeding the hog head foremost into the machine and disposing the discharge end of the v'conveyor somewhat above the lower hog-rotating collars in the machine, I cause this tilt-.effecting and advancing'action on the hog to begin as soon as the forward portion o'f the hog is engaged by the beater members near the receiving end of the machine.

By thus having the hog supported entirely by rotating members while it is passing through the field of the dehairing operation, I avoid any dragging action such as is frequently encountered in machines using stationary suppo-rtinlgelements, and I also make it easy for the beater members to exert their above described advancing or feed-- ing effect on the hog. In practice, IV desirably employ a largenumber ofcollarson each shaft with a relatively close spacing between them, so that the hog will continuously be supported by considerable number of these collars. I also desirably place` collars so close to the flexible beater elements as to prevent the legs of the hog from being caught between these flexible beaten 'strips and the collars. The collars themselves may have all smooth kperipheries, or some of them may have their peripheral portions longitudinaiiy tinted (after the manner shown for example in 19 and on the collars mounted on a shaft 3 in Figs. 1 and 2) so as to increase their rotating and massaging effect. on the hog. Y

lvloreover` the number of shafts and the number and arrangement of the elements carried by `them may be varied considerably, as also the relative positions of the beatercarrying shafts with respect to the path traversed by the hog while being dehaired. For eXample,rFig. 5 shows a machine v.arranged substantially similar to that of F NIO llt)

1, but having; no beater members either on the lateral shafts 1 and 5 or 'on the lowermost shaft 3. It also shows the drive shaft 6 as carryingf beater members each includT ing a liexible beater strip 27 carrying a ,alternating with theothei" two shaitsg Fig.v ,12 ilsoshoivs a vourfshaft arrangement, but onerin which beater members are employed only on the two lateral shafts.

Fig. 9 showsA an eight shatter-rangement iii which v'the axis of the shafts aredisposed y machine.

,different vdaily opera-ting'capacities.`

in a circlejand- -in which beater members are provided ,only on the uppermostand lowermost shafts and on the two extreme lateral shafts.

Fig. 11 shows athreey shaft arrangement in which beater members are only employed on thelower shaft, while Fig. 13 shows a three shaft arrangement in which beater members Vare employed on'the two lateral and elevated shafts. n

In each case, it will be evident that the hog` will be supported entirely by rotatable nienibersand that ,the 'disposition of the beater members on onel or more shafts will Vhave the abore described actions which resuits in feeding theV hog automatically lthrough the machine, thus embodyingl the same novel method. lith the arrangelments employing beaterinemb-ers on only one or tivo shafts,v the cost or the machine will be considerably lower than it. willit constructed with beater members on a larger number oi'shafts. Hence my machine. can

pla-nts of So also, since my presented construction permitsthe siniultaneousand effective engagements of the hog by a largenumber oi. beatlreadily be built to suit packing ing ano scraping elements, I can Vsecure an unusually large Capacity in proportion to the lloorl space, weight and cost oi' the However, while l have particularly described some typical arrangements and have illustrated `some desirable structural eatures, l do not wish to be limited to the details oi' the construction and arrangement thus disclosed. Obviously, many changes vmight be made in the same withrout departing either from the spirit of my invention or 'trom the appended claims. For example, Figs. 5, 11 and 13 show beater mechanisms in which spider arms 29 are substituted ifor the beater-carrying collars 1210i the mechanisms shown in Figs. 1, 9 or 12.,

I claim as my Vinvention 1;, In a machineior dehairinga` hog, a plurality" or' groups oircollars' having the axes of the several groups parallel-and horizontal and disposed in trough-like formation, the collars oi' eaclrgroup being spaced along the axis oi that group and all of the collars rotating` inthe 'same' direction, and rotating scraper" mechanisms coaxial with and between certain or" the 'collarsand reacl-iing radially beyond the latter, the collars forming the sole support for 'the hog while in the tiel-d of ,the scraper mecha.- nisms. i n

2. vIn a hogfdehairing` machine, aplurality' ot pai'alleland' rotating sha-tts havin-g their axes disposed in substantially a trough-shaped formation, andl beaters 'fast with respect to" each shaft and spaced along the same, the shafts being disposed so that the beaterscooperate in forcing the. hog toward Vone side of the trough-slieped formation, the beaters on ashaiit' adjacent l dra-w it toward that side with a rotating and liitino action in combination with auxiliary rotatingfand supportingl mechanism luy-ingl portions disposedv ior engagingthe hog simultaneously with some ofthe beaters andl tend-ing' lo rotate the hog in the same direction thatV it is rotated by 'the beaters but at a higher speed oi? rotation, the said portions including rotating.. discsV lspaced longitudinally 4ofthe troughshaped formation..-

S. ln a hog` dehaiiiiig machine, a plurality oi parallel andro'tating shafts having'their axes disposed in substantially a troughn shaped formation, and ,beaters fast with respect toeach shaft andspaced alongthe same, theshatts beingldisposed so tliat'the beaters' cooperate in forcing theV hog toward oneW side of the tr ugh-shaped formation, the beaters on a shaft adjacent to that side beiner disgosed vso as to engage the hog; initially at its bottom andto draw it toward vthat side .vith a rotatingvandliiiting action, in combina tion with auxiliaryr rotating niechani sin having; portions disposed 'for engaging'and supporting),l the hogV simultaneously with somek ofthe beaters and ,tending to rotate the hog in the. same direction that it is rotated by thelieatersbut at a higher speed oi rotationtlie said portions including ro'- tating discs spaced longitudinally oli the trough shaped formation and respectively disposed between certain of the beaters. l'or rotating;v and supportingthe hog during the dehai'ring operation.

el. fr` machine for dehairine` a hogy fed lengthwise into the machine from oneY end thereof, comprising aplurality of rotatable members having paralleland substantially horizontal axes extending longitudinally of the .machine with the said axes arranged in a trough shaped formation, certain of the said members havingr vdehairingV elements adapted to engage the hog and all being disposed for rotating the hog so that its lowermost portion nieves towards the same side of the machine, the said rotatable members forming the entire support for the hog during its dehairing and the sole means for feeding the hog endwise andv longitudinally of the said axes, the spread of the shafts being` such as to permit the hog to be 'disposed oblique to the said axes so as to cause the dehairing elements to effect such feeding.

5. A machine for dehairing a hog fed lengthwise into the machine from one end thereof, comprising rotatable members spaced along a plurality of parallel and substantially horizontal axes extending longitudinally of the machine with the said axes arranged in a trough shaped formation, certain of the said members having dehairing elements adapted to engage the hog and all being disposed for rotating the hog so that its lowermost portion moves towards one side of the machine, the said rotatable members forming the entire support for ythe hog during its dehairing and the sole means for feeding the hog lengthwise through the machine, the spread of the shafts being such as to permit the hog to be disposed oblique to thesaid axes while passing through the machine. i

6. A machine for dehairing a hog fed lengthwise into the machine from one end thereof, comprising A rotatable members spaced along a pluralityT of parallel and substantially horizontal axes extending longitudinally of the machine andy of the hog, certain of the said members having dehairing elements adapted to engage the hog and dispose for drawing the front and rear of the hog toward one side of the machine to an extent varying with the relative weight of the front and rear hog portions so as to dispose and maintain the axis of the hog oblique to the aforesaid axes, the said rotatable members forming the entire support for the hog during its dehairing and the sole means for feeding the hog lengthwise through the machine, and the said rotatable mem-bers being disposed for holding the hog out of contact with stationary parts of the machinethroughout the dehairing operation.

7- A machine for dehairing a hog fed lengthwise into and through the machine from one end of the machine, comprising a plurality of rotatable members having parallel and substantially horizontal axes extending longitudinally of thel machine with the said axes disposed substantially in a trough-shaped formation, certain of the said members having dehairing elements adapted to engage the hog and all beingV disposed for rotating the hog so that 'its lowermost portion moves towards one side of the machine, the said rotatable members forming the entire support for the hog during its dehairing and its advancing through the machine, the dehairing elements on one of the rotatable members boing yieldingly mounted and disposed for drawing the hog toward the said side with a lifting action varying in effect with the weight of the hog portion engaged by the said elements, whereby the distribution of weight in the lieg causes its forward portion of the hog to be drawn further toward the said side thanV its rearward portion so that the said elements will move obliquely forward with respect to the hog while in engagement with the hog, thereby feeding the hog lengthwise through the machine.

8. In a hogrdehairing machine. a plurality of parallel and substantially horizontal shafts continuously rotating in the same divrection, and a plurality of coilars and r tary scraper mechanisms fastened to and spaced along theV shafts and cooperating to afford the entiresupport for a hog Vwhile the hog is passing endwise through the machine.

9. In a hog dehairing machine, a plurality of rotating dehairing mechanisms having a common axis and' spaced along that axis, and rotating collars disposed respectively between consecutive dehairing mechanisms and cooperating with the latterin supporting the hog while the latter is moved endwise longitudinally of the said axis by the action of the dehairiing mechanisms.

10. In a hog dehairing machine, a horizontal shaft, a plurality of dehairing members fast on the shaft, a plurality of collars also fast on the shaft and respectively between consecutive dehairing members, a second horizontal shaft 'parallel to the first named shaft, collars on the second shaftin transverse alinement with the dehairing Vmembers on the first shaft, and means for rotating both Shafts in the same direction.

l1. In a heg dehairing machine, a plurality of parallel shafts all rotating in the same direction, one of the shafts being disposed between and lower than two other shafts, hog-rotating collars fast on all of the said shafts and spaced longitudinally along each shaft, and flexible beater members fastened to and spaced along at least one of the shafts, and reaching out radially of the shaft carrying the same beyond the collars fastened to the same shaft or shafts.

l2. In a hog dehairing machine, a plurality of parallel shafts all rotating in the same direction, one of the shafts being disposed between and lower than two other shafts, hog-rotating collars fast on all of the said shafts-and spaced longitudinally along each shaft, and flexible beater members fastened to and spaced along at least one of theshafts, and reaching out radially of the,

shaft carrying the saine between collars festened'to an adjacent shaft.

. 13.. A hog dehairing machine es per claim 10, in A1which the heater members fon one shaft n'iove upwardly and l laterally out-` wardly of the machine while engaging the hog, and in'l which the Collars rotate so as lo more the hog toward the said shaft.

111. A hog deha'iring 'rel-,chinees per Claim 10, in which the colla-rs on adjacent shafts are in elinenient transversely of theshafts and in r-:laieh' the ytrensversely alined; eollers have their perijiheriesfoloee to each other.

15. A ho'gdehfriring machine as per claim 10, in which two aeent Shafts haveV flexible heater members feet-@ned thereto, the heater members on the two shafts being staggered longitudinally of the nieeliine.

16. In a hog dehair-ing nieehine, opl-uralij: of parallel and substantially horizontal shafts continuously rot'fitingin the saine direction, and e plural tei-y sere-per mechanisms fastened todzind spare-ed along the'shafts und Cooperating to :ifl'ordflhe entire support a hog-l While the hog' yis passing endwise Lthrough the machine, and' e. conveyor arranged for feeding the hog endwise into the machine from one 'end thereof.

of Y collars and roa 17. Alho'g deliiiring machine as per claim 15, in whiohtno adjacent shafts have flexible beater inen'lbere fastened ther the beater members on the'. two shafts being; staggered longitudinally lof the machine, the discharge end of the conveyer being,l higher than the collars upon which, the nog` rests While in the-field of the dehairiniv oporat-ion. f n

18. AHog; delmiri'ng niechanisniineludin?r ai pair of parallel shafts, and a Seriee or beatermemberefost upon and spaced alone' eheh shaft,fand collars festl on each shaft and ilternatin'g` 'with the beater members, each beater 'member being transversely op-V posite a collar onfhe other shaft.

V19. Hog dehairing meohanisniincluding a plurality of-perallel Shafts, hesiter niemhere fast upon and spacedelong one shaft und collars fast upon e. Shaft adjacent to the aforesaid shaft, the siid collars beingdisposed sothoft' each heater moves between :1 pair of the collars, the spacing between the axes of the said two shafts being loss than the sinn of the radins of enel] (follar and the radial reach of each beater member.

Signed at Chicago, llinois, lll-ej' 29th,

LoUiS A. Kem ne..

mwN, 

